Summary
In animal nutrition, incubation of feed samples with CO2/HCO3-buffered rumen fluid is used to predict the nutritional values of the feed. During fermentation, volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are produced, which release CO2 from the buffer through their H+ ions. This indirect gas production amounted to 20.8 ml gas per mmol VFA. By incubating glucose, rice starch and cellulose, the relationship between direct and indirect gas production in relation to fermentation kinetics was studied. The total amount of gas formed was found to be dependent on the composition of the fermentation end-products formed. This could be described by: ml gas = Mv·mmol HAc + 2Mv·mmol HB + 0.87Mv·mmol Tot. VFA where HAc = acetic acid; HB = butyric acid; and Mv = molar gas volume. No clear relationship was found between the rate of fermentation and total gas production. From rice starch more total gas was produced than from glucose and cellulose, which were fermented faster and slower, respectively.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barnett JG, Reid RL (1957) Studies on the production of volatile fatty acids from grass by rumen liquor in an artificial rumen. I. The volatile fatty acid production from fresh grass. J Agric Sci Camb 48:315–321
Cafantaris B (1981) Über die Wirkung von Antibiotika-Zusätzen auf die mikrobielle Gärung in Pansensaft in Vitro. Ph D Thesis, University of Hohenheim, FRG
Chang R (1981) Physical chemistry with application to biological systems. MacMillan, New York
Datta Roy D, Dutta BK, Ganguli NC (1976) Relationship between gas production and volatile fatty acids in the rumen. Milchwissenschaft 31:227–228
Demeyer D, Giesecke D (1973) Abbau der Kohlenhydrate und Biochemie der Gärung im Pansen. In: Giesecke D, Henderickx HK (eds) Biologie und Biochemie der mikrobiellen Verdauung. BLV Verlagsgesellschaft, München, pp 135–167
Giesecke D (1973) Biologie und Biochemie der Bakterien im Pansen. In: Giesecke D, Henderickx HK (eds) Biologie und Biochemie der mikrobiellen Verdauung. BLV Verlagsgesellschaft, München, pp 9–57
Grabe CJ von (1978) Stöchiometrische Untersuchungen zum invitro Wachstum von Mikroorganismen aus dem Pansen von NPN ernährten Schafen. Ph D Thesis, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, FRG
Hungate RE (1966) The rumen and its microbes. Academic Press, New York
Jouany JP, Thivend P (1986) In vitro effect of avoparcin on protein degradability and rumen fermentation. Anim Feed Sci Technol 15:215–229
Lin KW, Patterson JA, Ladisch MR (1985) Anaerobic fermentations: microbes from ruminants. Enzyme Microb Technol 7:98–107
McBurney MI, Cuff DJ, Thompson LU (1990) Rates of fermentation and short chain fatty acid and gas production of six starches by human faecal microbiota. J Sci Food Agric 50:79–88
Meer JM van der, Wever G, Bediye S (1988) Rumen bacteria for evaluation of enzymatically changed animal feeds and genetic varieties of fodder plants. Anal Chim Acta 213:177–185
Menke KH, Raab L, Salewski A, Steingass H, Fritz D, Schneider W (1979) The estimation of the digestibility and metabolizable energy content of ruminant feeding stuffs from the gas production when they are incubated with rumen liquor in vitro. J Agric Sci Camb 93:217–222
Naga MA, Harmeyer JH (1975) Gas and volatile fatty acid production at different rates of rumen microbial protein synthesis in vitro. J Anim Sci 40:374–379
O'Hara M, Ohki K (1973) Studies on the mode of gas production in an artificial rumen and its application to the evaluation of feedstuffs. III. The mode of volatile fatty acid production and its relation to the gas production rate. Jpn J Zootechn Sci 44:432–439
Raab L (1980) Untersuchungen über den Proteinabbau und die Proteinsynthese im künstlichen Pansen. Ph D Thesis, University of Hohenheim, FRG
Robinson PH, Tamminga S, Vuuren AM van (1986) Influence of declining level of feed intake and varying the proportion of starch in the concentrate on rumen fermentation in dairy cows. Livest Prod Sci 15:173–189
Russell JB (1988) Ecology of rumen microorganisms: energy use. In: Dobson A, Dobson MJ (eds) Aspects of digestive physiology in ruminants. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, N. Y., pp 74–98
Russell JB, Wallace RJ (1988) Energy yielding and consuming reactions. In: Hobson PN (ed) The rumen microbial ecosystem. Elsevier Applied Science, London, pp 185–215
Scheifinger CC, Wolin MJ (1973) Propionate formation from cellulose and soluble sugars by combined cultures of Bacteriodes succinogenes and Selenomonas ruminantium. Appl Microbiol 26:789–795
Senshu T, Nakamura K, Sawa A, Miura H, Matsumoto T (1980) Inoculum for in vitro rumen fermentation and composition of volatile fatty acids. J Dairy Sci 63:305–312
Steingass H (1983) Bestimmung des energetischen Futterwertes von wirtschaftseigenen Futtermitteln aus der Gasbildung bei der Pansenfermentation in vitro. Ph D Thesis, University of Hohenheim, FRG
Tilley JMA, Terry RA (1963) A two stage technique for the in vitro digestion of forage crops. J Brit Grassl Soc 18:104–111
Xiong Y, Bartle SJ, Preston RL, Meng Q (1990) Estimating starch availability and protein degradation of steam-flaked and reconstituted sorghum grain through a gas production test. J Anim Sci 68:3880–3885
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Correspondence to: S. F. Spoelstra
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Beuvink, J.M.W., Spoelstra, S.F. Interactions between substrate, fermentation end-products, buffering systems and gas production upon fermentation of different carbohydrates by mixed rumen microorganisms in vitro. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 37, 505–509 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00180978
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00180978